Real or not real
by Pichitinha
Summary: During the months Wally's gone, Artemis has a lot of dreams about their wedding. Telling reality from dream when the day actually comes it's actually hard after that.


During the few months they all believed Wally to be dead, Artemis had lots of dreams of their wedding. She blamed it, of course, on the ring she found hidden in a book inside his nightstand, when she was packing up his stuff.

Whatever the cause may be, the dreams did start after that day and began occurring more and more frequently as the weeks went by.

Artemis hated it.

The dreams were never the problem. They were all perfect; different from each other and slightly impossible in some matters as dreams always tend to be, but perfect nonetheless. Sometimes she'd dream of walking down the aisle and sometimes she's get to say her vows. She only got to hear his – made up by her own subconscious, obviously, but very similar to what she thinks he'd say – twice, as even when the dream would go further to their kiss or first dance, his vows never happened, for one reason or the other.

Sometimes she'd dream of the dances she'd share with Ollie and Barry and Dick, sometimes she'd dream of who would catch the bouquet. Sometimes, even, her dreams would go as far as to them alone in a hotel room afterwards – usually very nice, with a bed impossibly big if not in a dream – and she'd even get to them almost having sex.

It didn't matter, though, where the dream ended or what happened until then. She'd always wake up, her heart fluttering with love and affection for about two seconds before her involuntarily moving hand would find the space by her side empty and her heart ended up dropping to her stomach.

Her dreams were not the problem. Reality was.

She dreamed of him on a number of other situations as well, of course, although less often. Because of those dreams, she admits, she had a hard time telling reality from imagination when they found out he wasn't dead and brought him back. Sometimes she'd walk on him making breakfast and it would take a couple of minutes to calm her heart and convince herself that she was not hallucinating. Remembering he was back was never the problem, not knowing if she'd dreamt he was back or not was.

But the months passed and soon it all started to be left in the past. She's certain he's there and she knows how lucky they are for this second chance.

It's a weird feeling when she feels difficulty in telling _real_ from _not real_ in that moment, then.

"Artemis, are you okay?" Dinah's worried voice reaches her ear from behind and she notices she's been staring at her reflection in the mirror for several minutes, her mind elsewhere.

She turns around and looks at all the girls in the changing room, trying to find any detail that doesn't add, anything that might prove that isn't real and that she's dreaming just like all the times before. She's so tired of the empty mattress.

"Artemis?" It's her mother's voice that calls for her now, from her right side, and when both women's eyes meet, Paula understands. She wheels herself closer to her daughter and takes her hands in hers. "You look beautiful, honey."

And it's the tone of her mother's voice and the loving look in her eyes that convince Artemis. She feels like she's waking up as the weight in her chest lifts and she genuinely smiles.

"Thank you. I feel perfect." She says because it's true. She doesn't remember ever feeling this light.

"Well, you _are_ perfect." Barbara interrupts, getting closer to the three women by the mirror alongside the rest of the bridesmaids. "Which is good because it's almost time. Are you ready?"

It's not actually classy, but Artemis snorts. "Am I ever."

All the women laugh and then get out of the room, moving to the space reserved for them at the beginning of the aisle. The ceremony starts not long after that and soon all the girls are leaving to meet with their partners and walk to the altar. She debated for a long time who she wanted to walk her down the aisle, her mom or Oliver. Her dreams always varied in that matter, but in the end she really wanted Ollie to understand what a big part he had taken in her life. He still pretended he had not cried when she asked him.

As her arm locks around his, waiting for the wedding march to begin, she is once again consumed by the strange feeling that this might be a dream. Ollie catches her stiffen pose and uses his free hand to squeeze hers. "It's okay, Artemis, you just have to be the center of attention for a few minutes and soon you'll be one happy married girl."

Artemis chuckles at his words, her heart lessening again, and sooner than she expects, they're walking.

She looks at Wally and tries not to be overwhelmed about all this. He's waiting for her at the altar, willing to spend the rest of his life with her, and it honestly knocks her breath away, that notion. The fact that she fell in love with a man that loves her just as much is just incredible. And they've been through so much.

Soon she's by his side, her hand in his and it feels _real_. There's no way her subconscious would be able to recreate such an accurate feeling of the exact warmth and roughness of his skin. She's smiling so much it hurts her cheeks, but as Wally smiles just as much, if not more, she cannot find it in herself to care.

They both turn to the front and the ceremony proceeds. It happens all too fast and all she can really remember is how everyone was weeping with her vows and absolutely crying with his. She hears his vows this time, from beginning to end, and it's somewhat similar but also completely different from the two times she'd dreamt it. She never meant to cry on her wedding day, but it's inevitable when he's just _there_ , saying that he loves her in a million different ways.

When they're supposed to kiss, she shakes a little. This was one of the most common parts for her to wake up, back then. Wally catches it, of course, knowing her better than anyone else, and his touch is sweet on her cheek and his lips are soft on hers and the love he puts into it is just _real_.

There are cheers, but she's not paying any attention. There's a ring on her finger and his hand claps around hers and as they turn to walk back down the aisle, she realizes she walked it in single, and now she's married. She sees the flashes of the cameras and the cellphones and the smiles of the people, but all she cares about is the fact that Wally's there and they're _married_.

She dances with him, many times. They've liked dancing and this is their night. She dances with Ollie and Barry and Dick, and somehow they all make her feel this is real. If she somehow starts to doubt it, Wally seems to always find her to prove that it is. They take millions of photos, they eat, they drink, they laugh and they dance. They hug and they kiss and they _smile_.

Afterwards, she concentrates extra hard in going against the _couples are actually too tired for the wedding night_ cliché, and Wally complies to all of her requests and needs, including wordless demands of a silent proof of reality.

She lays on his chest, later, completely spent and ridiculously happy, and her last thought before sleeping is that she really hopes that what meets her tomorrow isn't an empty bed.

She wakes up to his heartbeat in her ear and this time her involuntarily moving hand finds his hand with a ring on it.

 _Real_.


End file.
